MY FAVOURITE PART OF THE CHRONICLE

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 3 (Supplement)

MY FAVOURITE PART OF THE CHRONICLE

—PRIZE— How many Little Southlanders look forward to Saturday morning’s paper and Cousin Betty’s letter? Cousin Betty has a word of cheer for everyone, and her letters are always interesting for her cousins. Sometimes, however, her cousins have been rule-breakers during the week and when they read Cousin Betty’s letter on Saturday their faces burn with shame for they have raced noisily up Poor Sally Staircase or forgotten to put their names on their entries. We are always anxious to see Cousin Betty’s letter when the day of our bazaar is announced. At the end of the year her letter contains many interesting announcements; the prize list and other important things. I think many Little Southlanders will agree that Cousin Betty’s letter is the best part of the Chronicle. —Prize of 1/- to Cousin Dulcie Puffery (14), Dacre, Section 2, Otara R.D.

—PRIZE— As Mary sat under a spreading oak tree her sister, Joan, came running up to her. “Mary, in the Chronicle this morning there is a competition for all cousins called “My Favourite Part in the Chronicle,” said Joan. “What is your favourite part, Mary?” “Mine is painting,” said Joan. “So is mine,” said Mary. “I wish I could go to fairyland and see the fairies’ paintings.” Just then a fairy flew to Mary’s shoulder. At first Mary was frightened, but the fairy told them she would take them there. In a moment they were in Fairyland. They tripped along after the fairy until they reached the Art Gallery. Joan and Mary had never seen a more beautiful sight. There were hundreds of fairies’ paintings everywhere. “If I could paint like that,” said Mary to Joan, “I would win all the Art Club prizes in the Little Southlanders’ Page.” When they were going along a lane in Fairyland they saw a little elf sitting on a toadstool painting. He painted with a wasp’s sting with the colours of the rainbow on delicate cobweb canvas that gleamed like a magic glass. “I couldn’t describe that picture to anyone,” said Joan. “It is too beautiful.” “Now you are going home,” said the fairy. With a wave of her wand they were back under the oak tree again. “Wasn’t that trip to Fairyland exciting!” exclaimed Mary as she stood up to go home. —Prize of 1/- to Cousin Isla Smith (12), Section 2, Otara R.D.

-VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED— What is my favourite part of the Chronicle? What a hard question to answer. The Art Club? No, I like our competitions better than that.

-VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED— The place I turn to when the Chronicle arrives is “Between Ourselves.” I like to see my pen-name among the answers, and I love to read the small letter Cousin Betty prints. It is also great fun answering the questions the following week. Often I read the pen-names and wonder to whom they belong. I think that this will always be my favourite part. —3 marks to Cousin Victor Hubber (10), Oreti R.D., Winton.

Between Ourselves is very interesting, because each Cousin has his or her own answer and no one else knows which is which. Ah, now I know! It’s Cousin Betty’s letter. Each Saturday when the Chronicle arrives that is what I look at first. I love to read of the doings of Percy Pencil, Penelope Pen, Bertie Blotter and the inhabitants of Table-top Land. Then there are the interesting tit-bits of news that are meant for the cousins alone. But what about the Mind Sharpeners? What a time we have puzzling them out and racking our brains for clues.

Although the whole Chronicle is lovely, I maintain that Cousin Betty’s letter is the most interesting part. In it we read of all our big activities, we see which cousins earn degrees and finally, we get encouragement to work. hard.

I think that Cousin Betty deserves a big “Hip-hip-hurrah” for her cheery newsy letter each week.

—3 marks to Cousin Iris Winsloe V.A.C., (15), Merrivale R.D., Otautau.

-VERY HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is'Cousin Betty’s letter. Each Saturday when we get The Southland Times I pick out the Chronicle and start to read Cousin Betty’s letter. She always has some good news to cheer us up when it is a wet day. She also reminds us in a jolly way if we break the rules and does not scold us. That is why Cousin Betty’s letter is my favourite part of the Chronicle. —3 marks to Cousin Dorothy Mac Gibbon V.A.C., (11), McNab. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is Cousin Betty’s letter. In it I can see how things are going and there is news of anything that is starting. Next I like the competition results. Here I can see whether I have earned any marks or not. And now, last but not least, I read the stories and poems. —2 marks to Cousin James Milne (14) Gore-Waikaka R.D. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is the poem and story competitions, because I can spend many hours reading and making them up, and writing them to send in. These are not the only competitions. I enjoy painting pictures which appear in the Chronicle every fortnight for Art Club competitions. I also enjoy puzzling out Mind Sharpeners, although these are not my favourite parts of the Chronicle. —2 marks to Cousin Jack Rawle (15) Great North road, Winton. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is the stories. There are many long and interesting ones. And there are also short ones. But best of all I like the exciting and interesting ones, such as the story Victor Jones wrote on “The Doll’s House.” And then there are the plays. I enjoyed reading them very much. —2 marks to Cousin Dorothy Lake M.A.C., (11), Section 8, Glencoe R.D. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is Between Ourselves. I like Between Ourselves as it is very interesting reading all the replies. I read it regularly every week, and

always enjoy it and I also like looking at all the cousins’ pen-names. I like Cousin Betty’s letter next as it is also very interesting. —2 marks to Cousin Mary Shivas (13), 12 Preston street, Gore. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is the puzzles. There are so many different kinds, general knowledge, riddle-me-rees, word squares and many others I haven’t mentioned here. It is so much fun solving different ones. Some are very hard and others are very easy. The ones I think the easiest are the jumbled things. Often the general knowledge questions are the hardest. All the same, I like the whole Chronicle very, very much. —2 marks to Cousin Daphne Todd A.C., (14), 54 Ythan street. —HIGHLY COMMENDED— My favourite part of the Chronicle is the stories. When the paper comes on Saturday I take the Chronicle and read the stories. They are very interesting and all are original. —2 marks to Cousin Alan Lake M.A.C., (12), Section 8. Glencoe R.D.